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Flight tickets nearly double as summer approaches and people look to get away

On average, a domestic round trip will be more than $400, 45% higher than the same time last year, and 24% higher than in 2019, before the pandemic.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It was a busy travel weekend for many Americans. An estimated nearly 40 million people went out of town, according to AAA. 

However, some airlines struggled to keep up with the demand, causing cancellations and delays. 

Airline tickets are only expected to increase in price into the summer months due to the increased demand.

Nancy Lewandowski says she traveled to Jacksonville in order to get a cheaper flight.

“It’s getting more difficult to find a good price. We live in the Gainesville area, but we came here because it was a much better flight, better time, cheaper," Nancy Lewandowski, a traveler returning from a family vacation said. 

Prices are expected to skyrocket heading into the summer, that’s according to travel-data firm Hopper. On average, a domestic round trip will be more than $400, 45% higher than the same time last year, and 24% higher than in 2019, before the pandemic.

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“I mean, if you can be flexible, you can get some good deals. But it’s gone way up," Jeanie Catalgo, who was returning from Boston, said. 

The rising price to fly has some travelers re-thinking summer plans. Some are turning to staycations instead and others are changing their destination altogether.

"I can’t go to Boston next month because of it, which sucks but, I’ll probably fly from here, from Jacksonville to New York instead," Diana Salomon, who was returning from Boston, said. 

AAA suggests flyers looking for the cheapest ticket should book two to three weeks in advance and on a Tuesday. Try to book your flight early in the morning, 5 a.m. is the ideal time to book, as prices may increase between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.

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